Bulwark Takes

Tim Miller and JVL attempt to read JD Vance’s new memoir 'Communion' and discover a book full of contradictions, self-owns, political rationalizations, and some very revealing clues about the vice president’s worldview.
Buy Vance's new book (or don't!): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GTQ68YZN

Journalist Michael Weiss, editor of The Insider, and retired CIA veteran Marc Polymeropoulous take over The Bulwark for the kind of conversation they have with each other every day about the intelligence world, what the hell is happening in the United States and what it means around the globe. As they started recording, Trump was wrapping his bizarre Wednesday speech at the G7 Summit defending his deal with Iran. Marc and Michael go off about the news conference and turn to a riveting conversation about what is different about the war with Iran compared to the continuing show of strength in Ukraine and how that's happening thanks to years of groundwork by the CIA. It's an alliance that is actually winning despite Trump's posture towards Ukraine and the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Follow Marc on X here: https://x.com/Mpolymer
...and Michael here: https://x.com/michaeldweiss
Watch Michael's latest conversation with Tim Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85RXVxg8CHI
And you can read Michael's work on his Substack: https://macspaunday.substack.com/
...and at The Insider: https://theins.press/en/authors/weiss

Sam Stein, Andrew Egger, and Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.), went live to cover Trump's appearance at the G7 conference. Plus, the gang reacts to the U.S. unveiling the text in their official MOU with Iran.

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker are joined by Tom Nichols to discuss the week's military news.
Read more from Tom Nichols: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/2026/06/trump-g7-comments-misunderstsand-middle-east/687569/
Buy Mark's book here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1966786727/?tag=bulwark08-20

Sam Stein and JVL give their takes on a bombshell new report from the Washington Post showing Trump's White House ballroom project could cost more than $600 million with taxpayers footing half the bill. They break down the ballooning price tag, the demolition of the East Wing, and whether a future president should just tear the whole thing down.
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